Egypt

Oct 24 Sat Depart Washington DC – Fly Cairo

Oct 25 Sun Arrival at Cairo Airport
• Meet and assist through customs and formalities.
• Transfer to the hotel.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Oct 26 Mon Cairo
• After breakfast, transfer to Giza.
• Visit the Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren & Mikarinus.
• Optional: enter inside any pyramid.
• 30 minutes Camel ride.
• After viewing the three great Pyramids from a panoramic viewpoint, visit to the giant one stone Sphinx.
• Then transfer to visit Saqqara Step Pyramid, built by King Zoser, of the third dynasty.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Oct 27 Tue Cairo
• After breakfast early transfers to Alexandria to visit Bibliotheca of Alexandria the New Library of Alexandria, the New Bibliotheca Alexandrina is dedicated to recapture the spirit of openness and  cholarship of the original Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It is much more than a library.
• The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa These tombs were tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antoine emperors (2nd century A.D.) for a single wealthy family still practicing the ancient religion. These tombs represent the last existing major construction for the sake of the old Egyptian religion.
• The Roman Theater (KOM AL-DIKKA) Over 30 years of excavation have uncovered many roman remains including this well preserved theatre with galleries, sections of mosaicflooring and marble seats for up to 800 spectators. The theatre at one point may have been roofed over to serve as an Odeon for musical performances. Inscriptions suggest that it was sometimes also used for wrestling contests.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Oct 28 Wed Cairo
• After breakfast, transfer to Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, housing thousands of pieces of the ancient Egyptian civilization, including the most famous collection of the young king Tut Ankh Amoun with its fascinating treasures.
• Visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization , which provides a comprehensive history of Egypt and houses 20 royal mummies of the New Kingdom.
• Felluca by the Nile.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Oct 29 Thu Fly Luxor - Nile Cruise
• Early morning fly to Luxor.
• Arrive at Luxor. Visit Karnak Temple. Walk among the pillars of the temple dedicated to the god Amun Ra and along the avenue of the Sphinxes at Karnak.
• Transfer to the Nile cruise for check-in.
• 13.00 Lunch onboard.
• In the evening, visit the illuminated Luxor Temple.
• Optional: Horse Cart tour in Luxor.
• Dinner & overnight on board.

Oct 30 Fri Luxor - Edfu - Nile Cruise
• Early morning hot-air balloon flight over west Luxor.
• After early breakfast, drive to the west side of Luxor: explore the great Valley of Kings, where generations of Pharaohs were buried in crypts cut into the cliffs
• Optional: visit Tut Ankh Amon’s tomb.
• Stop by the Colossi of Memnon, then proceed to visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
• Transfer back to the cruise boat for lunch.
• Sail to Esna, cross the lock and continue sailing to Edfu.
• Dinner and overnight on board in Edfu.

Oct 31 Sat Aswan - Nile Cruise
• After breakfast, visit Edfu Temple by horse carriages. Discover the huge temple dedicated to the God Horus.
• Lunch on board.
• Sail to Kom Ombo, where you will visit the unusual Double temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the god Haroeris.
• Evening sailing to Aswan.
• Dinner and overnight on board.

Nov 1 Sun Edfu – Kom Ombo – Nile Cruise
• After breakfast, you will visit the unfinished Obelisque (Granite Quarry) and Philae Temple dedicated to the goddess ISIS.
• Afternoon visit High Dam, rock-fill dam across the Nile River, at Aswan
• Optional: Visit Nubian Museum.
• Dinner and overnight onboard in Aswan.

Nov 2 Mon Aswan Airport – Morning flight to Cairo
• Check out after breakfast, transfer Aswan airport to fly back to Cairo.
• Meet at Cairo airport. transfer from the airport to visit the Citadel (Mohamed Ali Mosque). The mosque, the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century, is more impressive at a distance than close up. It is an unparalleled contribution to the skyline of Cairo, visible high atop the Citadel grounds. Its great dome and towering minarets give the Citadel a romantic, oriental quality that makes up for any shortcomings in its detail.
• Visit Old Coptic Cairo. The Church of St Sergius. This church is the oldest and most unique of the churches in Old Cairo, founded in the 5th century. Its main attraction is crypt claimed to be the place where the Holy Family stayed during their Egyptian exile.
• Visit Ben Ezra synagogue is the supreme Jewish monument in Cairo. It is not the only synagogue, but it is the most used. It no longer has a rabbi, but is maintained by 42 local Jewish families. Legends claim that the synagogue is built on the spot where pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in the bulrushes and where Jeremiah spoke to survivors after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.
• Visit the Cave Church; a big church set in a big cave at the heart of Mokatam Hill. It is located by one of Cairo’s garbage collectors area, where there are about 50,000 Christians living on manual garbage separation.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Nov 3 Tue The White Desert National Park – Night in Tent
• Morning transfer to Bahariya oasis.
• Arrive in the afternoon, have lunch then change the car take our land Cruiser cars then starting our Desert tour Driving to the first stop (Black Desert) 25 km from Bahariya oasis have stop in middle point in the black desert to see all black desert from the highest mountain in the black desert then continue drive to the Crystal mountain the first stop in the white desert national park stop there to see the crystal stone and see the mountains covered by Crystal drive to one of the most beautiful view in Al agbat area stop there to take A good pictures then going to playing sand boarding (fun time) then continue drive to white desert start in white desert to see the first rook information mushroom rook in old white desert then drive to the new white desert we have to stop in panoramic view in the middle of white desert then going to see all rock information in the new white desert (camel , chicken and tree and rabbit) then going to camping in the white desert have dinner under the stars and Bedouin tea around fire.
• Night in the tent.

Nov 4 Wed Bahariya Oasis - Cairo
• After breakfast and see sunrise going back to Bahariya oasis, lunch then start the tour of the Oasis ... Starting the tour by the valley of palm trees then the Salt Lake , Pyramid Mountain and Hot Spring then see sunset from the English mountain the highest point in Bahariya.
• Transfer back Cairo.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Nov 5 Thu Cairo
• After breakfast transfer to Wadi El Natroun City to Visit the Monastery of virgin Mary (the Syrian) that covers 13 Acers. lots of famous monks and philosophers lived here (St. Arsanious, St. Maximous and Domadios sons of a roman emperor).the monastery is famous for the miraculous tree of St. Arsanious (4th C.) which still flourishes till now .There u will visit the beautiful church which has the carven of the Holy family and u will see one of the most famous doors for altars in Egypt which is the (oracle door).
• Visit The Monastery of St. Bishoy. It belongs to the oldest monastic settlements in Wadi Al Natrun. It has suffered from the numerous Berber raids. It’s the monastery where Pope Shenouda the third (117) is buried.
• Visit The Monastery of St. Macarius, 92 kilometers from Cairo on the western side of the desert road to Alexandria. It was founded in 360 A.D. by St. Macarius the Egyptian, who was spiritual father to more Than four thousand monks of different nationalities-Egyptians, Greeks, Ethiopians, Armenians, Nubians, Asians, Palestinians, Italians, and Span-lards. There were among them men of letters and philosophers, and members of the aristocracy of the time, along with simple illiterate peasants. From the fourth century up to the present day the monastery has been continuously inhabited by monks.
• Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Nov 6 Fri Transfer to Cairo airport for flight back to Washington DC - END

• Roundtrip international air between Washington DC – Cairo
• Cairo – Luxor domestic flight
• Aswan – Cairo domestic flight
• Meet and assist at Cairo, Aswan & Luxor Airports upon arrivals and departures
• Accommodation at standard 5-star hotels as per hotels specified below or similar categories.
     - 7 Nights in Cairo at Sonesta Cairo Hotel (or similar) based on half board basis.
     - 4 Nights on onboard at M/S Jaz Celebrity (or similar) based on full board basis.
• White and black desert trip including meals and overnight in a tent for one night
• Entrance fees to all archaeological sites included in the program.
• English Speaking licensed tour guide throughout the tour.
• Transfers & transportation by private Van with driver
• Gasoline, parking fees, driver’s expenses
• Balloon flight over Luxor
• Camel ride in Cairo
• Felucca sail
• Portage for one piece of luggage at the hotels
• Service charges and local taxes

• Egypt Visa ($25)- Subject to increase if applied by the government.
• Lunches in Cairo (except on the Nile cruise and desert tip where lunches are included).
• Tips to tour guide, driver and hotels\boat staff: $10 per person per day.
• Drinks.
• Personal expenses, any other item which is not included above.